Minneapolis-St. Paul hits 50 degrees for first time in 2022

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - We hit 50 degrees just before 3 p.m. at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to National Weather Service observations. That's the first 50-degree day in the Twin Cities in 2022 and the first 50-degree day since Dec. 15.

It's well above our average high of 41 but nowhere near the record of 70 set back in 2015.

But Dec. 15 wasn't a nice 50

The National Weather Service confirmed a total of 20 tornadoes in Minnesota on Dec. 15. Before that outbreak, Minnesota had never seen a tornado hit the state in December.

While the damage was experienced across southern and particularly southeast Minnesota from the storms and tornadoes, some of the worst damage FOX 9 saw was in Hartland, Minnesota where a EF2 tornado damaged homes and buildings.

Examining damage after tornado in Hartland, Minnesota

Residents in the southern Minnesota town are cleaning up after Wednesday night's tornado left damage.

7-day forecast for Minneapolis-St. Paul

The March warm-up started Tuesday with temperatures rising to the 40s and 50s in southern Minnesota and the metro. Wednesday will bring highs in the mid-50s with parts of southern Minnesota possibly climbing into the 60s.